Favorite Books in February

February was a surprisingly great reading month for me. I finished Kristin Lavransdatter, which was a grueling, but powerful book.

To offset the heaviness of KL, I listened to three delightful audiobooks: Whose Body? (the first Lord Peter Wimsy novel by Dorothy Sayers), 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff (which was a read-along with the Literary Life Podcast group), and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, which I reviewed here. This last book caught me completely by surprise and may just be one of my favorite books of the year.

I don't usually read so many favorites in one month, but one more title hit it out of the park for me: L.M. Montgomery's A Tangled Web. I did not love it unequivocally and will highlight some of my reservations in next week's review. Still, it was funny and poignant, and the way that Montgomery brought closure to the story lines was heartwarming and satisfying.

I read all of these for free through my library app, Hoopla, (except for Kristin L. which I bought when it was on sale.)

What was your favorite February book?

Blessings,

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigred Undset

I rarely review a book unless I love it, but Kristin Lavransdatter is an exception. Undset’s three-volume story of a 14^th Century woman’s life in Norway was hard to get through, yet worth the effort.  Although I am not a Catholic, I have a deep appreciation for Catholic authors who write about sin, suffering and redemption without fluffy conclusions.

Kristin Lavransdatter (“daughter of Lavran”) grew up in a devout family but chose to go against her parents’ principles in her choice of husband. It is hard to review the book without spoilers so I will just say the bad choices made in the first book ("The Bridal Wreath") have a ripple effect throughout the rest of the trilogy. It is a devastating critique of the high cost of sin. Yet it miraculously avoids being preachy.

References to immoral behavior are discreet, but frequent and troubling. Undset did such a remarkable job of creating living, breathing characters that I agonized over each one of them. So much so that I finally did something I rarely do. To reduce the anxiety, I read a synopsis of the books so that I could be better prepared emotionally for what was coming up next. For that reason, I did not “ugly cry” at the end of the book, which is what most people say they do. Admittedly, I was in a daze, but that is as far as it went.

I would never have finished the book if it had not been for the members of the Literary Life podcast group who cheered me on. (I was even part of a Lavransdatter Support Group on Facebook!) Although I had the audiobook, I soon learned that it was more painful to hear the story, than to read it, so I used the audio format sparingly.

Why recommend this difficult title? Because it powerfully portrays men and women in all their glory and in all their brokenness trying to make sense of the world through their mixed lenses of superstition and Catholicism. It describes the joys and suffering of motherhood in a way I've rarely seen in fiction. And there are tiny threads of grace woven throughout the narrative that keep it from being completely hopeless.  

Now I can check this title off of my "14th Century book" category. I think I'll take a breather, however, before I pick up "book I've most avoided" (Anna Karenina.) The Literary Life reading challenge for 2021 is posted here. 

Blessings,

The Creative Act as Ministry - quote by Andrew Peterson

I want you, dear reader, to remember that one holy way of mending the world is to sing, to write, to paint, to weave new worlds. Because the seed of your feeble-yet-faithful work fell to the ground, died, and rose again, what Christ has done through you will call forth praise from lonesome travelers long after your name is forgotten. They will know someone lived and loved there…. That is why the Enemy wants you to think you have no song to write, no story to tell, no painting to paint. He wants to quiet you. So, sing. Let the Word by which the Creator made you fill your imagination, guide your pen, lead you from note to note until a melody is strung together like a glimmering constellation in the clear sky. Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor, too, by making worlds and works of beauty that blanket the earth like flowers. 

(from Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson, p.183)

Blessings,

Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie

I was sad to finally finish the Tommy and Tuppence series. Postern of Fate was not only the final T&T book, but the last book Christie ever wrote. Critics panned it, saying that it showed her age and how she was slipping. But they obviously never heard it read by Hugh Fraser because he makes up for any defects the novel might have. Especially when he's imitating the voices of the pensioners at the old folks' home!

I haven't read enough of Christie to know if this is true or not, but it seemed to me to be a very personal book. The funny descriptions of the dog made me think that Christie was describing one of her own beloved pets. And as Tuppence and Tommy talk over all of their favorite childhood books, I wondered if they might have been Christie's too. 

In the beginning of the book, the Beresfords have just moved into their retirement bungalow. As they remodel the old rooms, they stumble across a mystery involving Mary Jordan, a former resident. Yes, the critics are right. The resulting sleuthing is a little confusing, but I didn't enjoy this entry in the series for its mystery so much as I loved it for its references to many beloved books, its charming and unique characters (beautifully voiced by Fraser), and for bringing closure to my literary relationship with this delightful couple. 

By the way, I tried to watch a few of the TV adaptions that were available on YouTube. In the 1984 version, Tuppence seems painfully silly. In the 2015 version, I was appalled by Tommy's complete indifference to Tuppence because in the books, he adores her (which is one reason I love them).

Anyone else read these?

Blessings,